Developer spotlight: Treyarch

Check out the Call of Duty: Black Ops II developer's line-up of PlayStation 3 blockbusters.

The team at California-based developer Treyarch know a thing or two about delivering thrills on PlayStation 3. They've had you clambering up skyscrapers in New York City, stitched you into the tailored tuxedo of James Bond and dropped you onto the battlefields of World War II.

As Treyarch's latest project, the mighty Call of Duty: Black Ops II, storms into shops around the globe, discover how the studio honed its art with this back catalogue of action-packed PS3 titles. How many have you played?

Call of Duty 3 (PS3, 2007)

Lining up alongside the Chimera of Resistance and the mud-spattered racers of MotorStorm as PS3 launched in Europe were four battle-hardened veterans of World War II. Call of Duty 3 marked Treyarch's debut on the new system, and the team was continuing its fine tradition of realistic, gritty shooters while trying out the early ideas that would help make Call of Duty: Black Ops one of the most popular games in the world.

A British SAS commando, a Polish tank commander, a Canadian infantryman and an American private were the stars of Call of Duty 3, with four very different experiences of the war. Vicious house to house fighting, parachuting deep behind enemy lines and frantic escapes sound just like something you'd be attempting in Call of Duty: Black Ops II, yet this variety made Call of Duty 3 one of the standout shooters of 2007. 

Spider-Man 3 (PS3, 2007)

Very different from the relentless bullet-dodging of the Call of Duty games, Spider-Man 3 on PS3 proved that Treyarch could provide excitement on a cinematic scale. One of the biggest and most iconic cities in the world was your playground, and when you weren't whooshing between Manhattan's skyscrapers at the end of a web line, you were limbering up for ground-shaking battles against notorious comic book villains.

Even though Treyarch swapped high-powered assault rifles for acrobatic web-slinging, the scenes of devastation caused by titanic battles between Spider-Man and his nemesis the Green Goblin often looked like the aftermath of a tank battle. It helped make Spider-Man 3 a memorable superhero game.

Quantum of Solace (PS3, 2008)

Imagine the adrenaline and firepower of the Call of Duty series with the uncompromising style of Daniel Craig's James Bond. That's exactly what you got with Quantum of Solace: you became a super-soldier in a sharp suit.

It was the first video game to feature Craig's flinty likeness and menacing voice, and combined explosive action with pulse-pounding stealth sections. Classic scenes from both Casino Royale – Craig's Bond debut – and Quantum of Solace were included, such as the breathless construction yard chase scene that kick-started a new era for the world's most famous spy.  

Call of Duty: World at War (PS3, 2008)

Often praised for its attention to detail and dramatic set pieces, the Call of Duty series suddenly became the hottest property in video games when Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare came along. Launching the following year, Call of Duty: World at War built on that success when it returned to its World War II stamping ground, adding loads of neat new features in the process.

It showed war at its most brutal – it definitely wasn't suitable for children – and switched between a beautiful Pacific setting and a gloomy, battle-scarred Russia. Huge grassy fields could be set ablaze with flame-throwers, close-quarters combat was just as important as a quick trigger finger and its multiplayer modes proved to be among the most popular ever.  

Call of Duty: Black Ops (PS3, 2010)

Treyarch's Call of Duty: Black Ops focussed on one central character – a special forces soldier named Alex Mason – and his top secret missions during the Cold War.

Memory flashbacks revealed you were part of a huge conspiracy against the United States government during the 1960s, while you carried out missions in Russia, Vietnam and Cuba. Not a moment was wasted in the game – if you weren't hunting enemies in humid jungles, beating a frantic escape on a motorbike or piloting an advanced spy plane, you were briefing the US president and mixing with characters played by Hollywood stars such as Gary Oldman and Ed Harris.  

Travel the road from World War II to 21st century conflict via Spider-Man and James Bond by picking up these Treyarch titles in-store now. They are the perfect preparation for the fight of your life, Call of Duty: Black Ops II on PS3.